Fruit and vegetable washing device with vertical circulative flow and direct faucet engagement



July 5, 1966 c. w. RANSON 3,259,373

FRUIT AND VEGETABLE WASHING DEVICE WITH VERTICAL CIRCULATIVE FLOW ANDDIRECT FAUCET ENGAGEMENT Filed Feb. 4, 1963 United States Patent O3,259,373 FRUIT AND VEGETABLE WASHING DEVICE WITH VERTICAL CIRCULATIVEFLOW AND DIRECT FAUCET ENGAGEMENT Charles W. Ranson, 7906 Agnew Ave.,Los Angeles, Calif. Filed Feb. 4, 1963, Ser. No. 256,061 Claims. (Cl.259--4) The present invention relates to a washing device for fruits,vegetables, and other solid food units. The device provides forimparting to contained liquid a two dimensional circulative flow in avertical plane. Provision is included for the circulative liquid flow toreceive sufficient kinetic energy from tangential inlet liquid flow toeffect continuous vertical circulative motion of the fruits orvegetables.

Objects of the invention are to provide for the thorough cleaning of allsurface areas of fruits and vegetables in minimum time and withoutbruises or damage.

Other objects are to provide a simple cleaning device having no movingmechanical par-ts, and which can be used conveniently in householdkitchen sinks, and which can utilize kinetic energy available fromconventional household faucet water.

Another object is to provide reduced kinetic energy losses byintroducing faucet water flow directly into circulative washing waterthere-by tall-owing easier starting of circulative flow of a static foodpile, larger load washing at low faucet water pressure, and larger loadwashing for a given size of Washing device.

An object is to eliminate the difficulty of providing an extensionconduit having leak resistant end adapters for the faucet and washingdevice.

Another object is to eliminate the inconvenience of installing anddisconnecting an extension conduit at each use of the device.

An object is to provide for preventing the intake of air at openings infaucet aerators during food unit washing and thereby preventing acorresponding loss of inlet liquid momentum and kinetic energy.

Another object is to provide for supporting the washing device at arelatively high elevation with the faucet nozzle submerged in the deviceand in a manner to accommodate all types, shapes and sizes of sink andfaucet combinations conveniently.

Other objects are to provide for support of the washing device fromfaucets of various diameters and having various faucet nozzle angles ofinclination to horizontal.

A number of other objects and advantages will become apparent as thedescription proceeds.

One form of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings wherein similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout theviews.

FIGURE 1 is a side view of the fruit and vegetable washing deviceproperly positioned beneath an open water faucet. The arrows indicatethe how path of the circulative liquid flow. The hatched lateral baseline represents the side wall of a household kitchen sink having a fixedrelationship with an overhead faucet 5.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of FIGURE 1 showing the comparatively narrowwidth of the washing device.

FIGURE 3 is a section view of FIGURE 1 along line 3-3 showing a hooktension attachment to a facet.

FIGURE 4 is a view along line 44 of FIGURE 1 showing .a yoke compressionattachment to a faucet.

The washing of fruits and vegetables in the kitchen has heretofore beenaccomplished by the use of a colander, a conventional kitchen pan, or byhand rubbing under an open faucet.

The colander is a bowl shaped sieve with a base. For food washingpurposes, the colander is held under an 3,259,373 Patented July 5, 1966ice open faucet while containing a pile of food units. The bulk of thewater follows the path of least resistance and flows around rather thanthrough the pile of food units. The velocity of the water seepingbetween the food units is low due to resistance so that liquid scouringand dissolving action is relatively inefficient and slow. Also the foodunits lie static so that areas of mutual contact and areas of con-tactwith the container receive no washing.

The conventional kitchen pan is generally used for Washing by fillingthe bottom of the pan with food units and most of the remainder with'water. The pan is then shaken by hand to simulate the action of atumbling barrel. The cleaning action is highly erratic and inconsistent.Rinsing is only partial as the liquid is poured out. Bruises and surfacedamage can be done to berries and delicate skin fruits by the shiftingWeight of the total load.

The prior art has also provided a washing device of the present type.This device is described in my copending application of Serial No.445,857, effective filing date November 29, 1962. The prior device whileproviding distinct improvements and advantages is subject to furtherimprovement as disclosed herein. The present invention provides for theelimination -of the flexible conduit extending from the faucet to theinlet of the referenced device while retaining the maximum washing loadcapacity and the ability to operate at low available water pressures.The present device also provides additional advantages as set forthherein.

Referring to the several figures, Washing device 1 includes side walls 2and 3 extending longitudinally and vertically and spaced apart inrelative proximity. A lateral wall 4 extends between side walls 2 and 3to provide a bottom wall 411 and two opposite end walls 4b and 4c. Thebottom wall 4a and end wall 4b are faired together by radius R toprovide a curved inner surface as shown.

The inner surface of end wall 4b extends vertically above point A, whichis the point of tangency with radius R Point B indicates the lower pointof tange-ncy wit-h radius R The opposite portion of lateral wall 4 iscurved and faired as indicated by radius R The internal surface oflateral wall 4 provides a smooth, curved perimeter flow path forcontained liquid.

Washing device -1 is supported to faucet 5 by a tension hook 6 threadedfor engagement with cantilever support arm 7 of device l1. The threadfit is sufficiently loose to allow turning of the book by hand to fitvarious diameter sizes of faucets. The hook 6 loops over faucet 5, as inFIGURE 3, to provide self locking from the weight of device 11. Theouter end of support arm 7 is provided with threaded compression yoke 8.The thread fit is sufficiently loose to allow turning of the yoke byhand to accommodate various slopes of faucet piping. This allowsleveling of device 1 so that upper perimeter 9 can be positionedhorizontally for proper operation of the device. Yoke 8 straddles faucet5 as in FIGURE 4 to provide self locking under the weight of device 1.

Device 1 is positioned on faucet 5 so that faucet liquid is ejectedadjacent to end wall 4b thereby providing liquid inlet tangential toradius R with a smooth transition to a curved flow path below point oftangency, A.

For operation, the device is partially filled with fruits or vegetablesor other food units and hung from proper position on faucet 5 as shownin FIGURE 1. The exit port of faucet -5 is positioned below the level ofperimeter 9 which is the normal water level during operation. This isdone by adjusting book 6. Thus the inlet flow into device 1 from faucet5 is submerged. This provides improved liquid fiow efficiency withreduced eddy losses. The inlet liquid from \faucet 5 is directed into acirculative path by radii R and R The established flow path is inaccordance with the arrows shown in FIGURE 1. The water major exhaustoccurs over the edge of upper perimeter 9 or through openings in anoptional lid, not shown. Sand and other non soluble solids are exhaustedwith small liquid jets at auxiliary exhaust ports 10. Aerator openings aof faucet 5 are submerged to avoid entraining" air in the inlet liquidflow which would reduce the liquid mass flo'w rate and reduce theavailable kinetic energy.

Washing device 1 contains liquid vertically within a width, W ofrelatively narrow proportions as shown in FIGURE 2. This lateralconfinement provides for two dimensional liquid flow in a verticalplane. The circulative flow pattern is induced by the tangential inletjet and the curved inner surfaces of the lateral wall, FIGURE 1.

.Two dimensional confinement contributes greatly to liquid flo-w controland reduces dissipation of kinetic energy from lateral flow andturbulence.

As stated above, the side walls 2 and 3 are in the state of beingmutually near. This side wall proximity endows the washing device with'awidth less than the length or height or each. The device has been foundto be operable using conventional household faucets and a reasonablecontainer volume when width W is about one half or less of the length orheight of the device. As the width of the device is decreased withrespect to the length or height, the efliciency and load capacityincrease. When the width of the device is relatively large with respectto the length or height the circulative two dimensional flow pattern isnot obtained but localized random liquid agitation occurs at the regionof faucet water energy. This results in erratic and negligible washingaction. The specific side wall proximity required for satistactoryperformance of any given installation depends upon a number of variablesincluding the liquid mass flow rate, the height and length of thedevice, the internal contours of the device, the densities anddimensions of the food units to be cleaned and the size of the washload.

The kinetic energy of the inlet jet is conserved by the relatively largeproportions of radii R and R and by the substantially two dimensionalliquid flow pattern. The' overflow liquid is of low velocity and lowkinetic energy loss. Viscosity functions to maintain the entire liquidbody in a state .of circulative flow.

The two dimensional circulative liquid flow in a vertical plane impartssimilar circulative motion to contained food units. The submerged foodunits are buoyed by forces equal to the weights of the displaced liquid.Consequently, only a relatively small amount of liquid drag force isrequired to lift a given food unit vertically against the gravity force.The drag force of a solid body in non-laminar liquid flow isproportional to the relative velocity squared. 'Hence, :by constructingwashing device 1 as described to conserve kinetic energy and to maintainhigh liquid rotative velocity, the food units are forced to rise andcirculate with the liquid. Food unit circulative washing has beenachieved using the water jet from conventional household faucets. It wasfound that the food units experience local tumbling as they move ingeneral circulative flow. This tumbling action adds to the liquidscouring effect and to the cleaning by mutual attrition between foodunits.

During operation of the washing device, insecticides, fungicides, andother chemicals and soil particles are progressively removed from foodunits by a continuously diluting liquid flow. The impurities are carriedaway in the bulk liquid overflow at upper perimeter 9. Heavy non-solubleimpurities are discharged through auxiliary exhaust ports in bottomlateral wall 4a by small exhausting water jets as the impurities areswept along wall 4 by circulative liquid flow. When faucet 5 is closed,drainage occurs automatically through ports 10 permitting food unitsconveniently to be poured from spout 11 without liquid.

For many types of faucet installations washing device 1 can beconveniently supported by hook 6 in combination with cantilever supportarm 7 and compression yoke 8. However there are some faucetinstallations where support arm 7 may have interference with a near wallor near vertical piping. In this event support arm 7 is removed .fromwashing device 11 by turning support arm 7 to disengage threaded stud 12from a corresponding threaded hole in device 1. Stable support of device1 is then obtained by hook 6 in combination with lateral support rods 13and 14 which butt against the side of a sink, indicated by the verticalhatched line of FIGURE 1. Lateral support rods 13 and 14 are threadedfor adjustalble engagement with threaded holes in lugs 15 and .16extending from skirt portion 17. Rods .13 and i14 are provided withflattened ends for finger turning. Lock nuts 18 are grooved rfor fingerturning.

For faucet installations where neither cantilever support arm 7 norlateral support rods 13 and 14 fit the faucet and sink configuration forsupport, vertical support rod 19 with large base plate 21 is used incombination with hook 6 for stable support. A suitable box or otherimprovised support element approximately of the required height, notshown, is placed on the floor of the sink. Vertical support rod 119,which is threaded for engagement with a threaded hole in lug 20, isextended, with upper perimeter 9 level, until base plate 21 contacts thetop of the improvised supportelement. Thus the device, as shown, hasuniversal adaptation to practically all types, sizes, and shapes of sinkand faucet combinations.

Deflector screen 22, FIGURE 2 is held by frame 23 and functions todeflect food units and prevent them from becoming wedged between thesubmerged portion of faucet 5 and side walls 2 and 3 during operation.Frame 23 is bonded to the side walls and is provided with a port 24 toadmit faucet 5. Thus, contained liquid is free to flow around thesubmerged nozzle of faucet 5 and to be swept along for inlet jetaugmentation purposes in relatively continuous fluid streamlines withminimum eddy losses and improved liquid flow efliciency.

' While one embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated itis to be understood that what is defined by Letters 'P-atents isspecified by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A washing device including two side longitudinally and vertically andspaced apart, a lateral wall extending between said side walls toprovide a bottom wall and two opposite end walls and connecting withsaid side walls in unitary relation to provide a container cavity, andthe inner surface of said bottom wall and the inner surface of at leastone of said end Walls substantially faired to provide a substantiallycurved inner surface at the region of juncture, and said wallsterminating upwardly generally to provide an upper horizontally disposedoverflow port, and said side walls and end walls substantiallynon-apertured to provide liquid overflow at said upper overflow port innormal operation, and a support portion adapted for support engagementwith a horizontally disposed overhead faucet, and means for associatingsaid support portion with said washing device, and an outwardlyextending support structure, and said outwardly extending structureadapted to engage against sink assembly structure, and said outwardlyextending structure and said support portion for faucet engagementcooperating in normal use to stabilize said washing device in a (fixedattitude.

2. A washing device as in claim 1, and said portion of hook-likecharacter.

3. A washing device as in claim 1, and a deflector, and at least oneinlet opening in said deflector, and said deflector positioned abovesaid substantially curved surface, and means for supporting saiddeflector with respect to said device.

4. A washing device as in claim '1, and a deflector, and said deflectorincluding screen-like deflector material, and

walls extending support said deflector positioned above saidsubstantially curved sunface, and means for supporting said deflectorwith respect to said device.

5. A washing device including two side walls extending longitudinallyand vertically and spaced apart, a lateral Wall extending between saidside Walls to provide a bottom wall and two opposite end Walls andconnecting with said side Walls in unitary relation to provide acontainer cavity, and the inner surface of said bottom wall and theinner surface of at least one of said end Walls substantially faired toprovide a substantially curved inner surface at the region of juncture,and overflow means disposed upwardly to determine the operating liquidlevel in normal operation, and a wall upper edge provided at a faucetaccess location, said edge to underlie a horizontally disposed faucet innormal operation, and said overflow means and said wall upper edge atsaid faucet access location of substantially the same horizontalelevation to provide for a submerged faucet discharge end generally innormal operation, and a support portion adapted for support engagementwith a horizontally disposed overhead ifaucet, and means for associatingsaid support portion with said washing device, and an outwardlyextending support structure, and said outwardly extending structureadapted to engage against sink assembly structure, and said outwardlyextending structure and said support portion for faucet engagementcooperating in normal use to stabilize said Washing device in a fixedattitude.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,025,206 5/1912Rounds.

1,053,223 2/1913 Robertson -97 1,245,768 11/1917 Randall 25936 1,262,9624/1918 Lewis.

1,531,274 3/1925 Cowden 220--86 1,650,009 11/1927 Charleston.

1,748,296 2/1930 Lombard 68-23 2,254,003 8/1941 De Marco 68--1962,508,963 5/1950 Mote 220-18 3,140,647 7/1964 Miller 95-97 X FOREIGNPATENTS 587,859 1/1959 Italy.

CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner.

GEORGE NORTH, Examiner.

ROBERT L. BLEU IGE, Assistant Examiner.

1. A WASHING DEVICE INCLUDING TWO SIDE WALLS EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLYAND VERTICALLY AND SPACED APART, A LATERAL WALL EXTENDING BETWEEN SAIDSIDE WALLS TO PROVIDE A BOTTOM WALL AND TWO OPPOSITE END WALLS ANDCONNECTING WITH SAID SIDE WALLS IN UNITARY RELATION TO PROVIDE ACONTAINER CAVITY, AND THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID BOTTOM WALL AND THEINNER SURFACE OF AT LEAST ONE OFSAID END WALLS SUBSTANTIALLY FAIRED TOPROVIDE A SUBSTANTIALLY CURVED INNER SURFACE AT THE REGION OF JUNCTURE,AND SAID WALLS TERMINATING UPWARDLY GENERALLY TO PROVIDE AN UPPERHORIZONTALLY DISPOSED OVERFLOW PORT, AND SAID SIDE WALLS AND END WALLSSUBSTANTIALLY NON-APERTURED TO PROVIDE LIQUID OVERFLOW AT SAID UPPEROVERFLOW PORT IN NORMAL OPERATION, AND A SUPPORT PORTION ADAPTED FORSUPPORT ENGAGEMENT WITH A HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED OVERHEAD FAUCET, ANDMEANS FOR ASSOCIATING SAID SUPPORT PORTION WITH SAID WASHING DEVICE, ANDAN OUTWARDLY EXTENDING SUPPORT STRUCTURE, AND SAID OUTWARDLY EXTENDINGSTRUCTURE ADAPTED TO ENGAGE AGAINST SINK ASSEMBLY STRUCTURE, AND SAIDOUTWARDLY EXTENDING STRUCTURE AND SAID SUPPORT PORTION FOR FAUCETENGAGEMENT COOPERATING IN NORMAL USE TO STABILIZE SAID WASHING DEVICE INA FIXED ATTITUDE.